Chiral hydroxyketones are useful intermediates for preparing various pharmaceutical compounds, such as anti-fungal reagents. Franklin A. Davis and M. Serajul Haque, J. Org. Chem. 1986, 51, pp. 4083-4085 describe the asymmetric oxidation at -78.degree. C. of the sodium enolates of ketones using chiral (camphorylsulfonyl)oxaziridines to give .alpha.-hydroxy ketones. Franklin A. Davis and Michael C. Weismiller, J. Org. Chem., Vol. 55, No. 12, 1990 pp. 3715-3717, reported the preparation of (S)-2-hydroxy-1-phenyl-1-propanone in greater than 95% enantiomeric excess (ee) and 61% yield by oxidation of the sodium enolate of the propiophenone at -78.degree. C. by (+)-((8,8-dichlorocamphoryl)sulfonyl)oxaziridine. Franklin A. Davis et al. J. Org. Chem., 1991. Vol 56, pp 1143-1145 discloses asymmetric hydroxylation with (+)-{(8,8 dimethoxycamphoryl)sulfonyl}sulfonyloxaziridine. None of these references disclose the use of temperatures lower than -78.degree. C. It would be desirable to provide a process for preparing chiral hydroxyketones and salts thereof, in as high or even greater yields and chirality than processes previously taught. It would also be desirable to provide a process for preparing hydroxyketones in which the oxidant (i.e., hydroxylating agent) can be readily recycled in order to reduce operating expenses associated with disposal of the oxidizing agent.